Around the Salon

James Boyd paces the boards at Paris Boat Show

The annual Salon Nautique at the Parc des Expositions in southwest Paris' Porte de Versailles is a must-visit for anyone interested in offshore racing.

It differs from London Boat Show in that it is less of a day out for the family - there is an absence of dance troupes and definitely no Guiness stand. However there are more oysters, a better chance of getting a decent lunch (the show is usually quiet between 1-2pm...) and taking up a modest portion of hall one there resides what is a fairly true reflection of the French racing scene - much more so than one finds of the UK equivalent at London Boat Show. Many of the top events have stand space and the cream of the French offshore racing world this year congregated around the Figaro and Tour de France a la Voile/UNCL stands to lounge, take a coffee, smoke a cigarette and swap gossip.

Among the top gossip this year was obviously the Vendee Globe and the part the event's creator Philippe Jeantot will have to do with the next race. Although the Vendee stand at the show was enormous there seemed to be no sign of Jeantot on it, nor indeed anyone in a position to answer any questions about this.

There are still a number of skippers trying to find sponsors and boats for next November's singlehanded non-stop round the world race. Time has all but run out for anyone looking to build new. David Millett from the Farr office told us he has two potentials - one in France and one in the UK - for a boat to be built in New Zealand using Virbac's moulds. The two hot boats that have yet to be launched are the new Bonduelle and Sill, both Marc Lombard designs, currently under construction at JMV Industries in Cherbourg.

One of the more interesting competitors in the next Vendee Globe could be the younger Bourgnon brother, Yvan. Since winning the Mini Transat Yvan Bourgnon has taken over the reigns from his brother Laurent of the old Primagaz trimaran, since renamed Bayer and then Rexona Men (who make the French version of Sure anti-perspirant - readers may also remember the incredible shots of her last autumn up on one hull towing a waterskier...) Now it is believed he has found sponsorship to build a new Open 60 for the Vendee.

Previous competitor Marc Thiercelin is in the process of purchasing the Lombard-designed Tiscali following Simone Bianchetti's death shortly after the end of Around Alone.

Aside from Philippe Jeantot one of the noticable absentees at the Salon was ORMA, the 60ft trimaran class stand. A highlight of previous shows has been the first Friday night champagne and oyster party on the ORMA stand. Conveniently one of the crewmen on Marc Guillemot's 60ft trimaran Biscuits la Trinitaine also runs the oyster beds in La Trinite-sur-Mer...

At present ORMA are looking for a new sponsor for their annual championship and hence as an economy - no stand at the show. While the 60ft trimaran class remains buoyant, three boats look set to drop out for next season. Belgium telecom company Belgacom have pulled the plug on their sponsorship of Jean-Luc Nelias and the boat was sold during the Transat Jacques Vabre to Baron Rothschild's Gitana team who will be campaigning it in 2004 as Gitana XI. Their present trimaran Gitana X, despite being one of the most expensive trimarans in the fleet - an entirely new design - has consistently failed to show any form.

Jean le Cam's Bonduelle trimaran is believed to be up for grabs for next year as the French tinned food company concentrate their efforts on their skipper's participation in the Vendee Globe. Bayer have also pulled the plug on Fred le Pautrec's 60ft trimaran campaign, although it appears that at present this may just be a temporary measure.

On to the America's Cup and K-Challenge are looking buoyant with some interesting personnel already signed up from Thierry Peponnet to Dawn Riley, John Cutler and most recently trimaran guru Laurent Bourgnon. With Phil Kaiko (ex America3, OneAustralia, America True and OneWorld) signed up on the design side, K-Challenge are believed to extremely interested in purchasing the OneWorld boats from the last Cup.

Despite the dayglo yellow hull of Le Defi Areva being parked outside the Salon Nautique, the French challenge from the last Cup have officially said that they will not be contending the next Cup. Yet there are still murmurings that it may not be all over yet.

Loick Peyron told us in Geneva recently that his Team France are still looking for funds. However Peyron's partner Bertrand Pace was at the Figaro party on Saturday night and looks set to continue racing with Gildas Morvan in two handed events, notably the class' Transat AG2R in 2004.

On the following pages read about the new boats at the Salon Nautique
Page two - dinghy cats
Page three - sports boats
Page four - the rest